The Hsu-nami

17 December 2007

Like guitar legend Slash, with his top hat and Les Paul electric guitar, Jack Hsu wants to make his mark in the rock world with his trademark baseball cap and erhu (Chinese fiddle).

Raised to be a classical musician by traditional Chinese American parents, the 24-year-old only recently discovered rock music. Soon after a chance meeting with a local metal band, Hsu-nami (consisting of band members Jack, Brent Bergholm, Vinny Belcastro, Derril Sellers, John Manna and Adam Toth) was formed – marrying the cultural sounds of the erhu with aggressive instrumental hard rock.

Jack's ease in leading Hsu-nami is reminiscent of Bela Fleck leading The Flecktones. The characteristics of his cultural musical instrument are fully represented, and the mixing of styles never sounds forced or gimmicky. It's a unique sound because of the odd pairing, yet seems surprisingly familiar to the ear. Fresh, yet old; high on musicianship, but never mathematical – it's a heavy cinematic soundscape.

Jack tugs his baseball cap low and shakes his head when called a virtuoso erhu player. Partly because he is humble. But mostly because, after years of practising, he just wants to rock out.

With the release of Hsu-nami's debut album, Entering The Mandala (available on their website and iTunes), he gets his chance. Squat's Shereen Low and Johnny-Lee Solis managed to catch the Hsu-nami frontman for a chat.


Squat: Congratulations on the album.
Jack: Thanks! It's awesome, I'm really happy. It's what we expected – and better. Hsu-nami formed in 2005 so it's about time.

Why has it taken two years to get your debut?
We've been dragging because we were all studying at college. But now that we've all graduated, we can now focus full-time on the band.

Have you always wanted to be a musician?
Well, I have been playing instruments since I was little – I've played the violin since I was four. Everyone in Taiwan played piano so I wanted to be different. I was going to major in business but music is what I know best. I play the violin, erhu and piano very well, and also dabble in the guitar and cello.

That's a lot of instruments! Any others that you would like to learn?
Yes. I would like to learn how to play the shamisen [Japanese three-stringed instrument]. Perhaps I could be a jazz shamisen player! [Laughs] I learn very quickly.

We'll check back with you in six months' time then. You can play us a song on the shamisen.
[Laughs] I'll play "Mary Had A Little Lamb".

When did you learn the erhu?
I picked up the erhu when I was eight, but stopped, and then I played it again when we moved to the US when I was 12. I went back to China to learn how to play it – like a summer boot camp. I had three teachers! They were intense sessions, but I learnt a lot in a short space of time. I find it easier to play than the violin, but then I already have the foundation of being able to play the violin.

What do you like about the erhu?
I love the sound of it. And the fact that no one I know plays it. I play it like a guitar – like how Slash would play. I hate the classical training of a violin – I prefer the freedom of improvisation. It's not as restricted, and it's more fun than playing a classical piece. What do your traditional Chinese parents think of all this?
They want me to get a real job. My style of music isn't their thing, but they're supportive. They brought me up with the whole music stuff. They made me practise, like twelve hours a day. Classical violin every day after school, and practise until I go to sleep at night.

And then, I used to hate holidays because that meant more practice. Like Christmas - what's Christmas [laughs]? That's violin practice. Twelve hours a day, with breaks for lunch and dinner. Every day.

But it paid off. They wanted to teach me how to focus on things, like in music, work ethic, and other things. But I'm sticking with music. They think our music is noisy though!

You describe Hsu-nami as an "Asian rock fusion band". Can you define your sound?
[Laughs] We're trying not to be as confusing! It's progressive rock, psychedelic, metal...with an Asian sound. It's erhu rock.

Did you ever flirt with the idea of utilizing rock and roll scales – pentatonic blues scales – when playing the erhu?
Well, there are pentatonic scales in Chinese music, Chinese melodies. It just sounds different than rock because it's rearranged and played in a different way. I try to consciously play traditional sounding melodies because I want the band to sound different. Asian but with progressive metal.

Instrumental progressive metal.
Oh! A lot of people come up to me, and I'm getting sick of this but they'll say "Where are the lyrics, where are the lyrics?" We don't have lyrics for a reason, you know? We have our instrumental influences. Instead of saying "you should have lyrics", why not say "I know a good singer you would like".

Wait, are you saying there's a chance that you would - Spaut Online magazine

Many bands try to find something unique about their style to help promote their music. It might be their look, their lifestyle or their background story. When the music itself is what makes the band unique, that creates something special.

New Jersey's Hsu-nami has your traditional rock-band string section, six here and four there. But it also has two strings, on lead performer Jack Hsu's Er-hu, a traditional Chinese instrument. With his classical background with the violin along with his training on the Er-hu and exposure to traditional Chinese music, Hsu has helped to create a true fusion of eastern and western musical tonalities. Based at Ramapo College in Mahwah, NJ, Hsu and band mates Brent Bergholm (lead guitar), Vinny Belcastro (guitar), Derril Sellers (bass), John Manna (drums) and Adam Toth (piano/synths) have played most of the area's traditional rock venues, and have been invited back to play one of the last sets ever at CBGBs' Downstairs Lounge when that legendary venues closes its New York location on September 30.

The band's track "Roguewave," was included on the 'Po Records' ComPOlation Volume III compilation CD and the Hsu-nami is planning to release their debut eight-song EP within the next month. As the bend's members prepare to complete their education at Ramapo, they are poised to take the band to new heights, expending their touring area and eventually being signed to release their first long-player. If anyone is able to bring the Er-hu to the masses of MTV watchers and iTunes downloaders the same way they've already conquered MySpace and Facebook, here they are.

Hsu, born in Taipei, Taiwan, learned the violin at four and before the age of ten was touring the United States with an orchestral group called VIP. He has performed at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and in 2000 played Carnegie Hall as part of the NYC Opera Orchestra program.

Bergholm is a nine-year veteran of the New Jersey music scene, having played in projects touching on the genres of metal, jazz, funk, hardcore, hip hop, and punk. His lead guitar playing style draws upon all of his influences and ranges from shredding to a bass-like tapping and slapping.

Chorus and Verse interviewed Hsu and Bergholm about their music, the recording process for the upcoming EP and plans for their remaining time at Ramapo and afterwards.Let's start off by discussing your instrument, the Er-hu. Can you describe the Er-hu to our readers who might not be familiar with it? How did you first start playing and is the instrument that you perform with today traditional or has it been modified for the type of music you're making?

Jack: The Er-hu is the most common traditional instrument in China. It's a two string fiddle, also known as the “Chinese violin”. When you go into a music store in China, you will find yourself in a maze of traditional Chinese instruments, mainly the Er-Hu. Funny thing is, the last time I went to China I only saw two acoustic guitars and one electric guitar in the entire store. It's completely different from music stores in America.

I started playing violin when I was four years old. I picked up the Er-Hu when I was in elementary school. I got really into the Erhu when I traveled to Nankin, China in 1998, a very famous place to study the instrument. While I was there, I had three teachers. I progressed quickly because I had such a strong background in classical violin. It helped me speed up the learning process.

I put a fisherman’s violin pick-up on the Er-hu and a wireless system so I can walk around stage while I perform. The Er-Hu is a very delicate instrument because it’s made for an acoustic only environment. The sound is so different with a fisherman’s pick up. It gives the instrument a really high tone, so I have to use an EQ pedal on my pedal board to get a good sound. I also have a loop pedal, and a reverb module that vocalists usually use.

How does the Er-hu fit into the traditional rock band format? The Hsu-nami has two guitarists, bass and drums, along with keyboards, so you've already covered both your hook and groove elements. Do you use the Er-hu to solo over the melody or as part of the overall chord progression? Was it a challenge for your band members to integrate the Er-hu into their performance styles?

Jack: Well, the Er-hu is like the vocalist of the band. People who have never heard instrument before have told me that it sounds like a vocal singing. I mainly play the melodies and solos in different part of the songs, here and there.

Brent: It’s not really much of a challenge at all. We see the Er-hu as the role of the vocalist. It takes the responsibilities of the melody, and hook. We approach song writing just like any other band. When it’s all said and done, we let Jack write the melody. We usually try to convey certain feelings with each song, and then let Jack match the feeling with appropriate melodies. Also, I'm personally a fan of Asian music - Chorus and Verse Online Magazine

Sometimes the thought of having more of the same thing is better than having nothing at all, but when it comes to music, and in a place like New York City, more of the same thing can become down right disappointing. With so many bands in the area, it often seems difficult to find one band that is doing something truly different. But all it takes is a little time, and one can begin to discover sounds never thought possible. There are unique bands to be found! It may require some work, but the musical rewards are well worth it.
Many people look for a distinct sound they have never heard before; a sound that not only has the ability to energize, inspire, and entertain, but one that also uses elements of music’s past to create a style completely its own. Hsu-Nami is this sound.
The band, which includes Jack Hsu, Brent Bergholm, Vinny Belcastro, Derril Sellers, John Manna and Adam Toth, is an Asian rock-hybrid instrumental group that is turning Asian fusion into more than just a type of cuisine. What makes this band stand out is the use of the Er-hu, a traditional Chinese instrument that dates back to c.1104 AD. Guitar, bass, drums and piano is added to the mix. It becomes clear that this is modern music with an Asian flavor.
Since each band member has a different musical background, Hsu-Nami’s songs range from metal and funk, to dance rock and indie. However, the Er-hu, played by Jack Hsu, is omnipresent. Others have tried to do Asian fusion before but tend to sound very classical. As lead guitarist, Brent Bergholm, says, “There’s no danger in it. What we’re trying to do is take something that people are familiar with and do something different.�
For an instrumental band, the music thankfully bares no pretension and is extremely accessible, creating a following of older and younger generations alike. They are currently working on an EP, which will be out in October. In the meantime, you can listen to songs and browse their upcoming shows at hsu-nami.com or myspace.com/hsunamirocks.
- Ins and Outs Magazine

Sometimes the thought of having more of the same thing is better than having nothing at all, but when it comes to music, and in a place like New York City, more of the same thing can become down right disappointing. With so many bands in the area, it often seems difficult to find one band that is doing something truly different. But all it takes is a little time, and one can begin to discover sounds never thought possible. There are unique bands to be found! It may require some work, but the musical rewards are well worth it.
Many people look for a distinct sound they have never heard before; a sound that not only has the ability to energize, inspire, and entertain, but one that also uses elements of music’s past to create a style completely its own. Hsu-Nami is this sound.
The band, which includes Jack Hsu, Brent Bergholm, Vinny Belcastro, Derril Sellers, John Manna and Adam Toth, is an Asian rock-hybrid instrumental group that is turning Asian fusion into more than just a type of cuisine. What makes this band stand out is the use of the Er-hu, a traditional Chinese instrument that dates back to c.1104 AD. Guitar, bass, drums and piano is added to the mix. It becomes clear that this is modern music with an Asian flavor.
Since each band member has a different musical background, Hsu-Nami’s songs range from metal and funk, to dance rock and indie. However, the Er-hu, played by Jack Hsu, is omnipresent. Others have tried to do Asian fusion before but tend to sound very classical. As lead guitarist, Brent Bergholm, says, “There’s no danger in it. What we’re trying to do is take something that people are familiar with and do something different.”
For an instrumental band, the music thankfully bares no pretension and is extremely accessible, creating a following of older and younger generations alike. They are currently working on an EP, which will be out in October. In the meantime, you can listen to songs and browse their upcoming shows at hsu-nami.com or myspace.com/hsunamirocks. - Ins and Outs Magazine

Sunday, November 26, 2006

By EVELYN SHIH
STAFF WRITER

You know you're doing something new in music when the stage crew refers to you only as "the guy playing that thing with the string."

The Ramapo College-based band Hsu-nami is making waves on the New Jersey and New York circuit with its fusion rock, featuring Jack Hsu on the erhu. Hsu, a Tenafly resident since moving to the United States from Taiwan at age 12, plays the traditional Chinese instrument that sounds like a violin but has only two strings on an elongated, delicate-looking neck.

The microphoned and amplified erhu takes the place of a vocalist in this ambitious band, playing Thursday at Mexicali Blues Cafe in Teaneck.

For a purely instrumental band, Hsu-nami has really been making the rounds; recent stops include the Stone Pony in Asbury Park and New York City's Lion's Den and CBGB, before it closed. It has also been building momentum on the college circuit, playing to crowds at Rutgers, Columbia and Ramapo.

After band members graduate from Ramapo in the spring, they plan to expand their reper-toire, build on the local fan base and play nationally -- or even, if they reach Hsu's native Taiwan, internationally.

Brent Bergholm, the lead guitarist, said the erhu is an alluring instrument. "It's very emotional, and I think audiences grab onto that. People are tired of the same old stuff," he said.

"I used to play it sitting, with a stiff back posture," said Hsu, describing the traditional style of playing. "Now, I play it standing, supported by a hook."

"He's playing it like a guitar player. It's crazy," added Bergholm.

In fact, most of Hsu's musical heroes are guitarists, including Stevie Ray Vaughan and instrumentalists from Japanese groups Asian Kung-fu Generation and the B'zs.

From a young age, Hsu took lessons in classical violin in Taiwan. He also dabbled in the erhu. It was only after his family's move to America, however, that he reignited his interest and traveled to China to explore traditional erhu music.

"Once I got there, I picked it up like that," he said, snapping his fingers.

In college, Hsu combined the new rock ideas with his traditional training on the erhu, forming an erhu and guitar duo, Genso Fantasia -- a perfect laboratory to experiment with these new ideas -- but the overall effect was a quiet, cafe sound.

Enter Bergholm's metal rock band, Bleed the Stone.

Last spring, Hsu's guitarist was out of town during the annual studio session of Ramapo's record label, 'Po Records, and Bleed the Stone filled in as his backup band so that he could appear on the compilation album.

The result, over the course of the past year, was Hsu-nami, a group that not only blends rock with the erhu sound but also mixes in the band members' backgrounds in progressive rock, metal, punk, ska, funk and jazz. Band members include Derril Sellers on bass, Adam Toth on keyboard/synthesizer, Vinny Belcastro on guitar and John Manna on drums.

Within the eight- to nine-track album the group will be releasing in December, tracks swing from high-octane wailing duets of guitar and erhu to soulful keyboard solos that usher in plaintive, Chinese-inflected melodies.

Before jamming with Hsu, Bergholm already had contact with Asian pop culture, particularly current Asian music.

"I remember one day after we'd just met, freshman year, we were talking online and [Hsu] mentioned some Japanese rock bands," said Bergholm. "I was like, yeah, I know about them. Are you surprised?"

A music major like most of his band mates, Bergholm cites the '70s jazz-rock fusion group Mahavishnu Orchestra as recent favorite. Led by John McLaughlin, the group boldly mixed Indian as well as European classical music in their funky rock brew.

"The thing about Hsu-nami is we don't want boundaries," said Bergholm. Beside him, Hsu smiled in silent agreement.

E-mail: shih@northjersey.com
- The Bergen Record

No doubt Fort Lee’s Jack Hsu, originally from Taiwan, will be cheering on his countrymen in the basketball competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics this month.


FILE PHOTO
Jack Hsu, above, and Brent Bergholm headline the band Hsu-nami. Their song "The Rising of the Sun," will be featured during the Olympics as the theme song for the Chinese basketball team.
But it really doesn’t matter. Win or lose, he wins.

His song, “The Rising of the Sun,” played by his band, the Hsu-nami, will be the theme music for the Chinese team every time it enters the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing. It will also be used for timeouts and halftime, and incorporated into a martial arts routine.

“It’s very awesome,” Hsu says. “Not many bands have a chance to say, ‘Our music was featured in the Olympics.’ It’s kind of amazing.”

How many millions of people — on TV, radio and in person — will hear the tune? Hsu-nami band members Hsu (erhu, violin), Brent Bergholm (lead guitar), Tony Aichele (rhythm guitar), Derril Sellers (bass) and John Manna (drums) may never know for sure. But for saturation advertising, it’d be hard to beat.

“It really hasn’t hit me how many people are going to hear this,” says Bergholm, a Red Bank resident.

The “Asian fusion” progressive rock band, formed at Mahwah’s Ramapo College in 2005, began its sprint for the Olympic gold last summer, when it played an Asian cultural festival in New York’s Union Square.

The band happened to be filmed by an Asian cable channel, AZN Television, and that broadcast was seen by a representative of NBA Entertainment, Jason Gilfillan, who later became music coordinator for the Olympics.

“He contacted me in the beginning of June and asked if he could use our music for the Olympics,” says Bergholm, who is also the band’s acting manager. “We said, obviously, yes.”

The Hsu-nami is an unlikely band — and Hsu, 25, is an unlikely rocker.

When he moved with his family from Taipei to Tenafly at age 12, his musical focus centered on classical violin, which he’d studied since age 4.

When he was 15, he became fascinated with the erhu, a two-stringed, bowed musical instrument with a singing tone that is one of the backbones of Chinese folk music. “My parents had one; I kind of picked it up,” he says. “It sounds very different compared to a violin. It sounds like a human voice.”

That summer, he went to Nanjing for a three-month intensive course in the instrument. “It was three months, three lessons a day, no break,” he recalls. “It was kind of like a boot camp for erhu.”

At Ramapo, he played erhu in a coffeehouse folk duo. But when his guitarist abruptly went off to Boston’s Berklee College of Music, Hsu found himself booked for a record release party with no musical support.

On impulse, he asked friend and fellow student Bergholm, who had a conventional heavy metal band, Bleed the Stone, to back up his amplified erhu.

“It turned out to have 10 times more energy than it did, and it was more fun for me,” Hsu says. “I guess it’s by accident, but it turned out awesome. No one had really fused traditional Chinese [music] with progressive rock before.”

It was a case of two great tastes that tasted great together — and it was the beginning of a whole new direction for Hsu.

“We got such a good response that we eventually became a regular thing, a band,” Bergholm says.

Dubbed the Hsu-nami (Hsu’s college nickname), the group began to get booked: venues like the late CBGB, Asbury Park’s Stone Pony, Teaneck’s Mexicali Live, the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre in Long Island and numerous Asian-themed festivals. (They’ll be playing Don Hill’s in Manhattan, 511 Greenwich St., on Aug. 29.)

They shared the bill with such alternative “name” acts as Yellowcard, ChthoniC and Jet Lag Gemini. And in 2007, they released their first (self-produced) album, “Entering the Mandala.” “The Rising of the Sun” is the first track.

What now? Band members hope to parlay the publicity from their Olympic coup into what they would consider the real brass ring: a tour of Asia.

Meanwhile, it’s a great dine-out story. Hsu is already practicing how to drop it in casual conversation.

“‘Oh, by the way, my music is in the Olympics,’” he says, trying it out. “‘How’s dinner?’"
- The Bergen Record

Sometimes the thought of having more of the same thing is better than having nothing at all, but when it comes to music, and in a place like New York City, more of the same thing can become down right disappointing. With so many bands in the area, it often seems difficult to find one band that is doing something truly different. But all it takes is a little time, and one can begin to discover sounds never thought possible. There are unique bands to be found! It may require some work, but the musical rewards are well worth it.
Many people look for a distinct sound they have never heard before; a sound that not only has the ability to energize, inspire, and entertain, but one that also uses elements of music’s past to create a style completely its own. Hsu-Nami is this sound.
The band, which includes Jack Hsu, Brent Bergholm, Vinny Belcastro, Derril Sellers, John Manna and Adam Toth, is an Asian rock-hybrid instrumental group that is turning Asian fusion into more than just a type of cuisine. What makes this band stand out is the use of the Er-hu, a traditional Chinese instrument that dates back to c.1104 AD. Guitar, bass, drums and piano is added to the mix. It becomes clear that this is modern music with an Asian flavor.
Since each band member has a different musical background, Hsu-Nami’s songs range from metal and funk, to dance rock and indie. However, the Er-hu, played by Jack Hsu, is omnipresent. Others have tried to do Asian fusion before but tend to sound very classical. As lead guitarist, Brent Bergholm, says, “There’s no danger in it. What we’re trying to do is take something that people are familiar with and do something different.”
For an instrumental band, the music thankfully bares no pretension and is extremely accessible, creating a following of older and younger generations alike. They are currently working on an EP, which will be out in October. In the meantime, you can listen to songs and browse their upcoming shows at hsu-nami.com or myspace.com/hsunamirocks. - Ins and Outs Magazine

Wave generators: That’s Red Bank-based guitarist Brent Bergholm on the right, burning while Jack Hsu fiddles on a supercharged version of the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument. Their band Hsu-Nami scored an international coup when one of their compositions was chosen as the theme for China’s basketball team at the Summer Olympics in Beijing.

By TOM CHESEK

Most unsigned bands would be more than happy getting a gig playing the halftime show at the local high school hoops meet. For Jersey’s own “Ethnical Instrumental Rock Group” known as The Hsu-Nami, the stage is far bigger in scope, and the potential audience numbers in the billions — we kid you not.

When the Chinese men’s basketball team, led by cross-cultural phenom Yao Ming, marched into the stadium for the opening ceremonies, it did so to the galloping strains of a tune that juxtaposed dramatic rock guitars with the haunting call of the erhu, the traditional two-stringed Chinese violin that’s been likened at times to a flute or a mournful human voice.

The tune was “Rising of the Sun,” which just happens to be the opening track on the Hsu-Nami’s independently produced CD, Entering the Mandala. It’s a composition that was penned by two members of the Ramapo College-spawned band — the Taiwan-born erhu virtuoso Jack Hsu (the project takes its handle from his old nickname at school) and guitarist Brent Ovar Bergholm, a Holmdel High graduate who for the past four years has been living in Red Bank.

“Rising of the Sun” has since gone on to be adopted by team China for all of its courtside appearances, and the story of how that came to be made the Hsu-Nami part of the national newscape in recent weeks. The Associated Press ran a widely disseminated article on the band, which apart from Hsu and Bergholm includes bassist-producer Derrill Sellers, drummer John Manna and guitarist Tony Aichele (recently departed member Vinny Belicastro plays on the CD, as does keyboardist Adam Toth).

The disc’s fusion-y mashup of heavy prog, light jazz and world-music accents offers up a little something for everyone who gravitates toward instro sounds during those days when all the singers in the world start to get on your nerves. And who can resist a version of Nino Rota’s Godfather theme played on an erhu? Not us.

Bergholm, who’s the only Monmouth County guy in the band — and who teaches at Rock’n Music in Middletown in between gigs — met up with Red Bank oRBit on the streets of his adopted homeland.




A somewhat more hirsute Brent Bergholm would like to tour Asia and the world beyond. The Dublin House will do for now.

RED BANK ORBIT: I guess I should ask, since I never pay any attention to these things, how the Chinese basketball team is doing. Are you following the team through the mens’ competition? Do you follow any of the basketball teams, or even play it yourself?

BRENT BERGHOLM: Oh, I suck at basketball. Just awful. I used to not really enjoy it, but when you’re watching the games it’s very impressive. I’ve been trying to catch the China team when they play. I heard our song the other day when they won against Angola; they’ve been playing it at halftime and whenever they take the court. Right now I think they’re in fourth place; doing okay I guess.

It’s gotta be a thrill to have your music associated with Yao Ming to such an extent.

It’s great, but it’s not the first time an NBA star has been exposed to the band. When we did an appearance at Tower Records in Paramus, Jason Kidd came in and watched our set for a little while.

Tell me again how you managed to get your song hooked up with Team China.

We’ve played a lot of Asian festivals around the New York area, including the CAPA Festival, which was televised by AZN TV. Someone at the show NBA Timeout did a segment about the band; the director of the show, who worked with NBA Entertainment, became the music director for the basketball coverage at the Olympics — he contacted me about using one of our songs there.

And all of you guys in the band have Ramapo College as a common denominator.

We were all music majors at Ramapo, and we all knew each other from around college. Jack Hsu composed for film projects in the past; he had a band, a duo thing called Gen Tso, and the rest of us had a metal band, Bleed the Stone. He asked us to be his backup band for a track on a compilation CD, and we got such a good response, we kept getting asked to play with him.

So the metal band kind of fell by the wayside as this new project started getting noticed?

Yeah. I’ve always been a fan of Asian culture; I listened to Japanese rock bands. So Hsu-Nami is my dream band. There’s no other band like us. We got to open for Yellowcard, Chthonic — they also use an erhu, and so do a few other Asian bands: the Twelve Girls Band, the Yoshida Brothers from Japan.

And the CD was entirely your own effort; you self-produced and distributed…

We used the punk-rock template and did it ourselve - http://www.redbankorbit.com

Wave generators: That’s Red Bank-based guitarist Brent Bergholm on the right, burning while Jack Hsu fiddles on a supercharged version of the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument. Their band Hsu-Nami scored an international coup when one of their compositions was chosen as the theme for China’s basketball team at the Summer Olympics in Beijing.

By TOM CHESEK

Most unsigned bands would be more than happy getting a gig playing the halftime show at the local high school hoops meet. For Jersey’s own “Ethnical Instrumental Rock Group” known as The Hsu-Nami, the stage is far bigger in scope, and the potential audience numbers in the billions — we kid you not.

When the Chinese men’s basketball team, led by cross-cultural phenom Yao Ming, marched into the stadium for the opening ceremonies, it did so to the galloping strains of a tune that juxtaposed dramatic rock guitars with the haunting call of the erhu, the traditional two-stringed Chinese violin that’s been likened at times to a flute or a mournful human voice.

The tune was “Rising of the Sun,” which just happens to be the opening track on the Hsu-Nami’s independently produced CD, Entering the Mandala. It’s a composition that was penned by two members of the Ramapo College-spawned band — the Taiwan-born erhu virtuoso Jack Hsu (the project takes its handle from his old nickname at school) and guitarist Brent Ovar Bergholm, a Holmdel High graduate who for the past four years has been living in Red Bank.

“Rising of the Sun” has since gone on to be adopted by team China for all of its courtside appearances, and the story of how that came to be made the Hsu-Nami part of the national newscape in recent weeks. The Associated Press ran a widely disseminated article on the band, which apart from Hsu and Bergholm includes bassist-producer Derrill Sellers, drummer John Manna and guitarist Tony Aichele (recently departed member Vinny Belicastro plays on the CD, as does keyboardist Adam Toth).

The disc’s fusion-y mashup of heavy prog, light jazz and world-music accents offers up a little something for everyone who gravitates toward instro sounds during those days when all the singers in the world start to get on your nerves. And who can resist a version of Nino Rota’s Godfather theme played on an erhu? Not us.

Bergholm, who’s the only Monmouth County guy in the band — and who teaches at Rock’n Music in Middletown in between gigs — met up with Red Bank oRBit on the streets of his adopted homeland.




A somewhat more hirsute Brent Bergholm would like to tour Asia and the world beyond. The Dublin House will do for now.

RED BANK ORBIT: I guess I should ask, since I never pay any attention to these things, how the Chinese basketball team is doing. Are you following the team through the mens’ competition? Do you follow any of the basketball teams, or even play it yourself?

BRENT BERGHOLM: Oh, I suck at basketball. Just awful. I used to not really enjoy it, but when you’re watching the games it’s very impressive. I’ve been trying to catch the China team when they play. I heard our song the other day when they won against Angola; they’ve been playing it at halftime and whenever they take the court. Right now I think they’re in fourth place; doing okay I guess.

It’s gotta be a thrill to have your music associated with Yao Ming to such an extent.

It’s great, but it’s not the first time an NBA star has been exposed to the band. When we did an appearance at Tower Records in Paramus, Jason Kidd came in and watched our set for a little while.

Tell me again how you managed to get your song hooked up with Team China.

We’ve played a lot of Asian festivals around the New York area, including the CAPA Festival, which was televised by AZN TV. Someone at the show NBA Timeout did a segment about the band; the director of the show, who worked with NBA Entertainment, became the music director for the basketball coverage at the Olympics — he contacted me about using one of our songs there.

And all of you guys in the band have Ramapo College as a common denominator.

We were all music majors at Ramapo, and we all knew each other from around college. Jack Hsu composed for film projects in the past; he had a band, a duo thing called Gen Tso, and the rest of us had a metal band, Bleed the Stone. He asked us to be his backup band for a track on a compilation CD, and we got such a good response, we kept getting asked to play with him.

So the metal band kind of fell by the wayside as this new project started getting noticed?

Yeah. I’ve always been a fan of Asian culture; I listened to Japanese rock bands. So Hsu-Nami is my dream band. There’s no other band like us. We got to open for Yellowcard, Chthonic — they also use an erhu, and so do a few other Asian bands: the Twelve Girls Band, the Yoshida Brothers from Japan.

And the CD was entirely your own effort; you self-produced and distributed…

We used the punk-rock template and did it ourselve - http://www.redbankorbit.com

Homegrown band Hsu-Nami landed its first global gig without ever having to leave the Garden State.
In constant play at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, its song, "Rising of the Sun," greets the Chinese basketball team upon entering the arena --timeouts and halftimes -- not to mention the Olympic-sized live audience of 20,000 plus and the households tuning in on TV.

Meet Hsu-Nami, an instrumental-only Asian progressive rock band from Mahwah, taking the world by storm.

Come Aug. 23 the international sensations will come full circle to drummer John Manna Jr.'s hometown of Wharton as the headlining act for the 33rd annual Canal Day.

"My dad got involved with the town and he likes the band," Mannu said.

The meeting of musical minds and majors melded at Ramapo College in 2005 when Jack Hsu -- the band's namesake -- called for backup for his CD release party.

From prior ensemble performances, Guitarist Brent Bergholm knew Hsu and answered the call with his metal band comprised of Manna on drums and Derril Sellers on bass.

The fusion of metal and the two-stringed Chinese violin mastered by Hsu "got such a huge response that we just merged," said Bergholm.

The songwriting process is a collaborative effort with Hsu providing the melodies and the rest of the band "rocking it up," said Manna.

"We're mostly an instrumental group and have no plans for lyrics," said Bergholm. "The music is so epic and powerful that adding vocals would make it lose something. The message is there but open for interpretation by the listener."

One such listener came in the form of an NBA entertainment representative, Jason Gifilian, who later became musical coordinator for the Summer Olympics.

Asian Cable Network AZN filmed Hsu-Nami performing at an Asian cultural festival at New York City's Union Square. The broadcast caught the attention of Gifilian, who asked permission to use Hsu-Nami's music in the Olympics, Bergholm said.

The song "Rising of the Sun" is the first track off the band's CD "Entering the Mandala," released last November.

"I was skeptical at first until I actually heard it," said Manna.

In addition to the Olympics, the band opened for Yellow Card, and played landmark venues such as The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, The Trocadero Theater in Philadelphia, Highland Ballroom in New York City and the legendary CBGBs on closing night.

"Like a proud parent, I think they're wonderful," said John Manna Sr. "We're their roadies."

Mass-media exposure and Olympics aside, Manna hopes their music will provide insight to the Taiwanese culture and politics.

Hsu-Nami is currently recording its second album.

Following the Wharton gig, the band is off to Brooklyn on Wednesday and then on to Greenwich Village for a Beijing Olympic '08 "world as one" party on Aug. 29.

Hsu-Nami is expanding its shows to the South and Midwest.

"Our ultimate goal is to get to Asia," said Bergholm. "But it's cool that our music ended up there anyway." - DailyRecord.com

Homegrown band Hsu-Nami landed its first global gig without ever having to leave the Garden State.
In constant play at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, its song, "Rising of the Sun," greets the Chinese basketball team upon entering the arena --timeouts and halftimes -- not to mention the Olympic-sized live audience of 20,000 plus and the households tuning in on TV.

Meet Hsu-Nami, an instrumental-only Asian progressive rock band from Mahwah, taking the world by storm.

Come Aug. 23 the international sensations will come full circle to drummer John Manna Jr.'s hometown of Wharton as the headlining act for the 33rd annual Canal Day.

"My dad got involved with the town and he likes the band," Mannu said.

The meeting of musical minds and majors melded at Ramapo College in 2005 when Jack Hsu -- the band's namesake -- called for backup for his CD release party.

From prior ensemble performances, Guitarist Brent Bergholm knew Hsu and answered the call with his metal band comprised of Manna on drums and Derril Sellers on bass.

The fusion of metal and the two-stringed Chinese violin mastered by Hsu "got such a huge response that we just merged," said Bergholm.

The songwriting process is a collaborative effort with Hsu providing the melodies and the rest of the band "rocking it up," said Manna.

"We're mostly an instrumental group and have no plans for lyrics," said Bergholm. "The music is so epic and powerful that adding vocals would make it lose something. The message is there but open for interpretation by the listener."

One such listener came in the form of an NBA entertainment representative, Jason Gifilian, who later became musical coordinator for the Summer Olympics.

Asian Cable Network AZN filmed Hsu-Nami performing at an Asian cultural festival at New York City's Union Square. The broadcast caught the attention of Gifilian, who asked permission to use Hsu-Nami's music in the Olympics, Bergholm said.

The song "Rising of the Sun" is the first track off the band's CD "Entering the Mandala," released last November.

"I was skeptical at first until I actually heard it," said Manna.

In addition to the Olympics, the band opened for Yellow Card, and played landmark venues such as The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, The Trocadero Theater in Philadelphia, Highland Ballroom in New York City and the legendary CBGBs on closing night.

"Like a proud parent, I think they're wonderful," said John Manna Sr. "We're their roadies."

Mass-media exposure and Olympics aside, Manna hopes their music will provide insight to the Taiwanese culture and politics.

Hsu-Nami is currently recording its second album.

Following the Wharton gig, the band is off to Brooklyn on Wednesday and then on to Greenwich Village for a Beijing Olympic '08 "world as one" party on Aug. 29.

Hsu-Nami is expanding its shows to the South and Midwest.

"Our ultimate goal is to get to Asia," said Bergholm. "But it's cool that our music ended up there anyway." - DailyRecord.com

A local progressive rock band was thrown onto the global media scene when their song was chosen to be played during the Beijing Olympics.

Jason Gilfillan, a NBA representative, saw an interview with Hsu-nami on the AZN television network and contacted the band about their song "Rising of the Sun."

"Gilfillan liked our song," said Fort Lee resident bandleader, Jack Hsu. "It’s a high energy song that sounds as if the sun is rising. I understand why they would want to use it."



Gilfillan asked if the Chinese Olympic basketball team could use the song when the team went on or off the court.

"I didn’t hear my song on television because the basketball games were early in the morning," Hsu said. "But my friend said the Chinese gymnasts are also using the song in their routines."

The band’s distinctive sound is attributed to a two-string Chinese fiddle Hsu plays called an Urhu. The other band members include lead guitarist Brent Bergholm, rhythm guitarist Tony Aichele, bass player Darryl Sellers and drummer John Manna. When they perform together the music is a fusion that brings together Asian and American rock.

"Only one band I know in Taiwan uses the Urhu as a lead instrument," Hsu said. "It sounds like an opera woman singing at high pitch."

Hsu was born in Taiwan and moved to Tenafly at an early age. In middle school his acoustic group played in local cafes. When members of the band left to college, Hsu was asked to play at a record label party where he met guitarist, Bergholm.

"I was already a fan of Asian culture and excited about playing with Jack," Bergholm said. "It was the type of sound I had always wanted to play."

Hsu-nami attempted to reach a broader audience by performing in Asian festivals. But when festival officials from a Taiwanese organization learned Hsu-nami’s song was performed at the Olympics, they were disappointed, due to China’s controversial treatment towards its neighboring countries.

"I feel for Tibet and Taiwan," Bergholm said. "But the point of the band is bringing together Asian and American cultures. Now we’re playing on the world stage. The Olympics are multi-cultural, just like the band. It’s not a political thing. We just see it as cool."

Hsu also has mixed feelings about the Beijing Games.

"China is oppressing Taiwan and Tibet," Hsu said. "But we’re try to emphasize the relationships and goodwill of ‘East meets West’. We’re trying to bring awareness through music." - http://www.edgewaterview.com

A local progressive rock band was thrown onto the global media scene when their song was chosen to be played during the Beijing Olympics.

Jason Gilfillan, a NBA representative, saw an interview with Hsu-nami on the AZN television network and contacted the band about their song "Rising of the Sun."

"Gilfillan liked our song," said Fort Lee resident bandleader, Jack Hsu. "It’s a high energy song that sounds as if the sun is rising. I understand why they would want to use it."



Gilfillan asked if the Chinese Olympic basketball team could use the song when the team went on or off the court.

"I didn’t hear my song on television because the basketball games were early in the morning," Hsu said. "But my friend said the Chinese gymnasts are also using the song in their routines."

The band’s distinctive sound is attributed to a two-string Chinese fiddle Hsu plays called an Urhu. The other band members include lead guitarist Brent Bergholm, rhythm guitarist Tony Aichele, bass player Darryl Sellers and drummer John Manna. When they perform together the music is a fusion that brings together Asian and American rock.

"Only one band I know in Taiwan uses the Urhu as a lead instrument," Hsu said. "It sounds like an opera woman singing at high pitch."

Hsu was born in Taiwan and moved to Tenafly at an early age. In middle school his acoustic group played in local cafes. When members of the band left to college, Hsu was asked to play at a record label party where he met guitarist, Bergholm.

"I was already a fan of Asian culture and excited about playing with Jack," Bergholm said. "It was the type of sound I had always wanted to play."

Hsu-nami attempted to reach a broader audience by performing in Asian festivals. But when festival officials from a Taiwanese organization learned Hsu-nami’s song was performed at the Olympics, they were disappointed, due to China’s controversial treatment towards its neighboring countries.

"I feel for Tibet and Taiwan," Bergholm said. "But the point of the band is bringing together Asian and American cultures. Now we’re playing on the world stage. The Olympics are multi-cultural, just like the band. It’s not a political thing. We just see it as cool."

Hsu also has mixed feelings about the Beijing Games.

"China is oppressing Taiwan and Tibet," Hsu said. "But we’re try to emphasize the relationships and goodwill of ‘East meets West’. We’re trying to bring awareness through music." - http://www.edgewaterview.com